Ophthalmic surgery saves and improves the vision of tens of thousands of patients every year. However, given the sensitivity of vision to even small changes in the eye and the minute and delicate nature of many eye structures, ophthalmic surgery is difficult to perform and the reduction of even minor or uncommon surgical errors or modest improvements in accuracy of surgical techniques can make an enormous difference in the patient's vision after the surgery.
Ophthalmic surgery is surgery performed on the eye or any part of the eye. Ophthalmic surgery is regularly performed to repair retinal defects, repair eye muscles, remove cataracts or cancer, or to restore or improve vision. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in adults and can cause blindness in serious cases. Cataracts form due to age or disease can cause the lens to become less transparent, resulting in vision deterioration due to the diminished light that can be transmitted to the retina. Certain surgical procedures have been developed to treat cataracts and improve vision. An accepted treatment for cataracts is the surgical removal of the lens and replacement of the lens function by an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).
In cataract surgery the natural lens of the eye in which a cataract has developed is removed. The natural lens is replaced by an artificial lens. This surgical procedure is performed by a surgeon using a surgical microscope for observation. In some cases, the microscope may be connected to advanced imaging tools. The surgeon enters through the sclera or cornea, making an incision in the capsule sac within the inner margin of the iris. An ultrasonic probe is used to fragment/dissolve the natural lens. Then, the resulting solution is removed by suction using an aspirator, which may be part of the ultrasonic probe or a separate tool. After the natural lens has been removed, an artificial lens is inserted into the eye.
Ophthalmic procedures, including cataract surgery, require extreme precision due to the fragile nature of the eye. Certain ophthalmic surgical systems have been developed to improve precision and minimize potential damage from surgery. One example system is Alcon's VERION™ Image Guided System (Novartis AG, Switzerland). The VERION™ Image Guided System uses a number of measurements to increase precision in cataract surgery. These measurements include dynamic keratometry, limbus position and diameter, white-to-white horizontal distance, pupillometry, corneal reflex position, and eccentricity of the visual axis. Improved methods of storing and retrieving these types of measurements, and therefore improving the accuracy and safety of ophthalmic procedures, are desirable.